The Blairsville Borough Council discussed on-going and upcoming projects, some of which still require funding.
The borough is still seeking additional funds for the demolition of the Murphy Building, located across from Fox’s Pizza on East Market Street. The Borough has so-far received $145,000 from the county out of the estimated $275,000 needed for the project.
Borough Manager Tim Evans spoke on the tunnel collapse along Sulfur Run near the main pump station on Spring Street, saying he hopes for repairs to begin around the beginning of April, with crews working “full bore” by April’s regular council meeting, weather permitting.
Evans spoke also of repairs needed to the roof of the Blairsville Recreation Center, which is leaking:
“We’re trying to figure out a way to raise some money, and maybe do some grant work, you know, half-and-half. Half private, half grants.”
Evans estimated a cost of about $40,000, and he hopes the work to be complete by the end of the year.
Additionally, the board’s Ab Dettorre took a moment to acknowledge that, like any fire department in the county, Blairsville’s needs members:
“Everyone is cognizant of the fact that you can’t be there 24 hours a day, you have families, you have jobs, that’s life. When we had 64 members, that overlapped all those things, you always had people around.”
Dettorre estimates current membership numbers in the upper thirties.
Lastly, several committees still have vacant seats, such as Planning/Zoning and Parking Authority, for those interested in serving the borough.
